Bleached Halloween
by Alex McM
Summary: A black comedy about Halloween. Ichigo and Rukia are about to experience a Halloween unlike any other. There will be tricks, treats, monsters, animal sacrifice, blood, guts, a coffin full of laughs and a crazy ride through the world of nightmares! Enjoy!
1. Trick or Treat or Threat?

_**Bleached Halloween**_

_**1. Trick or Treat or Threat?**_

All was calm in the Kurosaki household. The whole house was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The upstairs sink was dripping, a sound near deafening in the silent home.

Outside, the veil of night swept over the town of Karakura, covering it in a darkened blanket. Thick black clouds billowed through the air, briefly parting to allow the full moon to peak through them and shine light down upon the street.

Unfortunately the tranquil peace had to be disrupted on this fateful night.

A piercing scream echoed throughout the Kurosaki home and Ichigo shot up from his bed. The scream came again. It was undoubtedly human, though it was high pitched and feminine, like a child...

Ichigo reached for the baseball bat by his bedside and slid up to the door. He pressed his body against it and slowly pushed the door open. The hall outside was dark but he could see his father sneaking out of his room and going down the stairs.

Ichigo waited, assuming his father could take care of whatever was wrong.

But then he heard a deep male cry. An agonised wail from his father. A wet sloshing sound like someone walking through mud became audible and the wall beside the landing became splattered in a fresh coat of human paint.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed and he found himself unable to pry his eyes away from the stairs. A loud, repetitive thud came from there and Ichigo knew all too well what it was. His father's corpse had just rolled down the stairs.

Ichigo tightened his grip on the baseball bat and glared at the figure that rose form the darkness. Although veiled in shadow, Ichigo could make out flickering eyes and a venomous smile. The killer was tall, very tall. His body was as thick as a tree and he barely fit in the hallway. His hair brushed against the ceiling as he stalked the empty corridor in search of his next victim. A wicked carving knife was held in one of his large, leathery-skinned hands.

Ichigo sank into the wall and slid down onto the floor, making himself as inconspicuous as possible. The monstrous shadow drifted past his room as gracefully as a summer breeze, a movement unnatural for such a large person.

The door to his little sister's room opened. Cruel laughter and screams soon followed. Ichigo clenched the baseball bat so hard it was cracking under the pressure. He took a deep breath and made to charge out into the hall and beat the intruder to a bloody pulp.

His shirt got snagged on something and he retreated back inside his room. He spun around to see what had caught his sleeve and realised it was a slender hand, reaching from inside his cupboard. The door slid open and a head popped out.

Rukia was absolutely terrified. She didn't want to be left alone, but she also knew Ichigo would be charging to his death if he ran out there. She shuddered as a loud thud came from the other room. She gazed pleadingly at Ichigo and he crawled over to the cupboard. He got in with her and they huddled together in the tiny confined space, listening to the sounds of their heartbeats and the thunderous footsteps of the intruder.

They could hear the door to the bedroom creaking open. A lone pounding stomp followed and the floor squealed like a slaughtered pig.

Rukia nestled her head against Ichigo's chest. She clung to him tighter now and tried to suppress the fearful whimpers that escaped her quivering lips.

Another heavy footstep came, this time moving closer to the cupboard. Harsh breathing became audible, though there was a trace of maniacal laughter lying under the unnerving wheezing sounds.

Ichigo and Rukia held each other closer. Ichigo still held the baseball bat and his muscles were tensing. Adrenaline was surging through him. He would wait until the freak opened the cupboard door and then bam! He'd break his face and save Rukia. It was a simple plan, but hopefully effective.

The maniac took a hold of the handle, his large hands wrapping around the little wooden ornament. The whole door was pressed inwards and it creaked loudly.

Rukia cowered behind Ichigo who held the bat against his chest in a futile attempt to stop his hands from shaking.

The door opened just a crack. Traces of light spilled in like water through a burst dam. The stench of death suddenly arrived. It was overpowering. It was like the smell of a slaughterhouse.

Misty breath flitted through the gap and long bony fingers curled around the inside of the door. Ichigo braced himself. The door refused to budge for a second but then the psychopath tore the whole door from its hinges and hurled it towards the window.

Ichigo roared as he jumped out of the mutilated cupboard. He raised the bat high and brought it down with all his strength...

...Only to hit air. The bat soared through empty space and slammed into the floor. Ichigo felt waves of pain rising through his arms as they were jarred by the impact. He staggered backwards and stared up into the mentally depraved eyes of death itself.

He wanted to scream, or fight, or run. His body was not allowing any of it however. Ichigo remained fixed in place, paralysed with fear.

The killer picked him up by the throat and hurled him into the wall. He hit hard and landed awkwardly. He ended up in a heap facing the cupboard.

The killer leaned forward into the cupboard and ragged Rukia out, ignoring her frantic kicking and screaming.

Ichigo could only watch on in horror as she was silenced with brutal force. His jaw dropped and his eyes widened. This had to be a nightmare. It just had to be!

Ichigo writhed about on the floor. He was desperate to escape the clutches of the evil killer who was now soaked from head to toe in the blood of Rukia and his little sisters. His scarred face creased up into a smile and he laughed mockingly at the broken young man before him.

"There is no escape, boy."

Ichigo whimpered like a pup during a thunderstorm. His skin paled and all colour drained from his face. His skin grew prickly and all the hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end. He had never been so afraid in his life. He had never known such terror existed.

_This is it...I'm gonna die! I'm really going to die! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!_

The killer raised his knife high into the air and grinned from ear to ear, revealing jaws lined with sharp fangs.

"Happy Halloween!"


	2. This Is Halloween

_**2. This Is Halloween**_

Ichigo woke up screaming. He was drenched in sweat and his entire family were standing around his bed with inquisitive stares. He stared back at them with his head tilted to one side.

"You're all...Okay?"

"Of course we are." Karin replied. "You're the one who was hyperventilating and screaming in your sleep."

"But...You were all dead and...This big guy with a knife...And...Now I forget." Ichigo glanced down at the floor. "So it was just a nightmare..."

"Funny, I thought you were too old for nightmares?" Karin commented snidely.

Ichigo scowled at her and collapsed back into his mattress, ignoring the pool of sweat that was soaking into the sheets and making a hideous large stain. "Can you leave me alone for a while?"

Oddly enough, they retreated without hesitation. Today must be special if they have little time to waste antagonizing him...

Ichigo put that thought to the back of his mind and lay back in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He was almost asleep again when he heard a loud thump in the closet. He furrowed his brow and pretended not to notice, all the while concentrating on the cupboard, listening intently. There was a dripping sound, like the tap, but it was definitely coming from inside the closet.

Ichigo rolled off of the bed and slowly approached the cupboard. He clasped the handle and shivered. It was icy cold. He shook the fear out of his body and tried again. This time he pried the door open, only to be assaulted by a horrible stench. Whatever was in there, it had the foul odour of rotting meat, like a steak that's been in the fridge for two or three years.

Ichigo stepped back and covered his nose, but by moving aside he allowed something to fall out of the cupboard. Ichigo didn't notice what it was at first. He originally thought it was a rolled up blanket that was in desperate need of a wash, but then it sank in. The blanket was in actual fact a corpse. And not just any corpse. It was...It was...

"R-R-Rukia?" Ichigo placed his hands on either side of his head and he dropped to his knees. He reached out to the bloody body and he rolled her over onto her back. In doing so he exposed her face which was beginning to decay. One cheek had rotted away revealing pale gums and yellow teeth. One eye was rolling out of its socket, only attached by the optical nerve. Trails of dried blood ran down her cheeks from her eyes. Her shirt was torn open and her organs were in plain view.

"!"

The stampede of footsteps outside caught his attention and Ichigo locked the door as fast as he could. He panted heavily and leaned against the door. He was shaking uncontrollably and his hands were now slick with Rukia's blood.

"This is...This is impossible! What happened to her? Rukia...Rukia..." Ichigo started to sob, the stress becoming too much for him to bear.

He was unaware of the window behind him opening and nor was he aware of the girl who slipped into his room. He only took notice when she clapped her hands and spoke.

"Aha! You really do care about me!" The voice was unmistakeable, but it made no sense.

Ichigo wiped his eyes clear and stared up at the girl who was bouncing on his bed. He wiped his eyes again out of disbelief but it was the same girl when he looked again. "W-What? Rukia?"

"I got you good! You totally fell for my trick!"

"Trick? There's a dead body in my closet!"

"It's not a real body." Rukia explained. She reached into her pocket and took out something which resembled a black balloon. "They are portable gigai that Urahara created." She blew into the odd looking balloon and it exploded, leaving in its wake a perfect copy of her.

Ichigo stared at it dumbfounded. "But. How did you turn a gigai into...That?" He nodded his head in the direction of the corpse.

Rukia smiled innocently. "I had to perform a few _alterations._"

Ichigo tried to remain unaffected but the fact that Rukia had willingly dismembered a gigai made him shudder. Did it still count as murder if it was an artificial soul? Either way, was it worth it just for a prank?

Rukia folded her arms. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Ichigo groaned. "I'm just having a bad day..."

"Huh? You can't have a bad day! Today is a great day!" Rukia was getting excited again, like a dog when it sees a leash. She clapped her hands and hopped up and down on the spot. "It's Halloween!"

Ichigo's voice flat lined. "What?"

"I've heard about it in stories but this is my first actual Halloween! In Soul Society we don't celebrate anything more than the odd birthday."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Great. So I guess you want to go trick or treating?"

Rukia leaned forward eagerly and bounced on her heels. "Can I? Can I? Can I?"

Ichigo slapped his palm against his forehead. "Why did I mention it? Why?" He looked over to Rukia who was sitting on the edge of his bed, leaning forward expectantly, her eyes bright and gleaming. Ichigo let out a deep sigh. "Oh shit."

Rukia was still staring at him with child-like fascination, waiting for the answer. Ichigo cursed under his breath and bowed his head. "Fine. I'll take you."

Rukia did not move for a moment. She sat there frozen, but seconds later she was on the other side of the room jumping up and down squealing with delight.

Ichigo watched her in the way a father watches his child and rubbed his eyes. "This is only going to get worse..."

Oh, it will...Happy Halloween everyone! Please review!


	3. The Right Look

_**3. The Right Look**_

The costume shop attendant greeted them with a painfully obligatory wave. Rukia charged past her, nearly knocking the girl down in the process. Ichigo lagged behind, pretending not to associate with her.

The odd couple arrived at a stall of costumes and Ichigo tapped his feet impatiently while Rukia went down the lines picking out numerous outfits.

"You're only wearing one." Ichigo muttered.

"I know, that's why I have to find the right one! Here hold these!" Rukia hurled several garments at him and then carried the rest over to the changing room. She vanished behind the curtain and stepped out a few seconds later in a skimpy nurse outfit.

Ichigo stared at her. "Um...It...Uh..."

Rukia frowned. "You don't like it?"

Ichigo's cheeks blushed bright red. "I...It's not bad..." His nose started bleeding and he ran off while Rukia tried on the next outfit.

She patiently waited for him to return and stepped out wrapped in a flowing cape. Ichigo cocked his head and Rukia spread her arms wide making the cape fly out behind her, revealing a leather outfit that had Ichigo tilting his head up and grasping his nose.

Rukia sighed. "He won't even look at me...It must be silly." She went to her next option, a fantasy inspired costume that came with a plastic sword and elf ears. She disliked her reflection and discarded it.

Twenty minutes later and just as many costumes later Rukia was down to her final four. Ichigo cradled his head in his hands, trying to forget the oddities he had seen over the past half hour. When Rukia stepped out he glanced up without paying attention. He blinked several times and then he saw it. His eyes widened and he tripped on his own feet.

Rukia crossed her arms and pouted. "What's wrong with this one?"

"I-It's...A bunny!"

Rukia struck a pose and beamed. "I know! I didn't think they would have a Chappy costume but they did!"

Ichigo took a deep breath. "Rukia," He whispered calmly. "That is not a Chappy outfit. It's a playboy bunny."

Rukia stared at him blankly. "Huh?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes, incidentally spotting a bunch of guys standing at the end of an aisle, all staring blatantly at Rukia. Ichigo cursed and took her aside. "Look, if you wear that outside then a lot of men will be watching you."

Rukia blinked. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"No! Stalkers are never a good thing!" Ichigo roared, a lot louder than he expected. He closed his eyes and bowed his head. Please, Rukia. Just try something else? Please?"

She hesitated, admiring her reflection for one last time, and then she nodded. "Fine."

Ichigo paced outside the little room for a short time until Rukia once again emerged from the change rooms in yet another outfit. This one was a witch's costume. She leaned against an old broomstick while she adjusted her large wide brimmed hat. A short cape fluttered behind her.

Ichigo grinned. "That's better."

Rukia nodded in agreement but her eyes told otherwise. "I don't know...It is good, but I don't think it's the best. I still want the Chappy one."

"You aren't getting the bunny one!" Ichigo scolded like an angry father. He cursed and sat down outside the change room while Rukia tried out her next costume. "Geez, why me?"

Rukia stepped out in a red leather skirt with a red and black corset. Little black bat wings jutted out from her back and a thin devil tail struck out behind her. She also had tiny black horns sticking out of her hair. She danced around like a fool while giggling to herself. "I love it!" She poked Ichigo with a little plastic trident and laughed even louder.

Ichigo looked her up and down and sighed. "It's passable." He muttered.

"I'll take that as a yes!" Rukia beamed. "I'll just go change out of this and buy it then!"

Ichigo groaned. "Great, because I can't stand to stay here any longer." He closed his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. He heard the curtain slide apart but very softly, as if great care was used to avoid making much noise. When rapid hushed footsteps thundered off toward the counter Ichigo became suspicious and looked around, spotting Rukia clad in the 'Chappy' outfit. She was sprinting towards the counter.

Ichigo cursed and bolted for her, tackling her in the middle of the store, right near the entrance and many onlookers.

"Rukia take if off dammit!"

"No, get off of me!"

"I said take it off!" Ichigo roared, tearing at the fabric like a lunatic. He was too distracted with the task at hand to notice the crowd forming around them but he suddenly froze when he heard a familiar voice.

"Ichigo?"

"What the hell are you doing?"

The two voices were distinctly familiar. He recognised them both and whirled around to face them. Tatsuki and Orihime both stared at him with bulging eyes that were about to fall out of their sockets.

Ichigo looked down at himself and the scantily clad Rukia who lay pinned beneath him. He chuckled nervously and crawled off of her.

"Well...Uh…You see-"

He was not allowed to finish his sentence. He only just saw the great shadow looming over him and then he felt the sharp bite of electricity as he was shot with a taser. He flopped over onto his stomach and started convulsing, making retarded noises and foaming at the mouth.

He tried to speak in his defence but his wildly jolting body prevented him from doing so.

"T-thi-i-i-i-s i-i-i-s a-" He gave up and tried to calm down but his heart just raced faster and faster.

Within a few seconds he passed out.


	4. You'll Shit Bricks

_**4.** **You'll Shit Bricks**_

It's been way too long! _Way _too long since the last update. But don't worry! I will definitely finish this story, hopefully in time for Halloween this year! Anyway, enjoy and review, it is your support which drives me to create such madness.

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Ichigo woke up in an unfamiliar room. A suffocating smell of toilet freshener and old pine timber assaulted his senses. The tiny cramped room was devoid of any decoration or life aside from a rotting old bench and table, upon which laid a small tray filled with Ichigo's belongings.

"We had to take those out of your pockets, son." a thick mono-tonal voice cut through the silence like a sickle through an unlucky parent. The cop entered the room and scratched away at his thick broom moustache as he uttered rather coldly, "We also had to change you."

"What?" Ichigo turned sharply to address the man, noticing out of the corner of his eye that his pants were a different colour now. "What the hell? What do you mean you-?"

"The electric shock induced by a taser can be quite intense. Up to fifty thousand volts. It disrupts neural signals to the brain and makes the brain lose control of bodily functions. Sometimes accidents happen." He stopped there but Ichigo got the gist of what he was saying and that made him blush brighter than a Christmas light.

_I...I...Oh god! Right in the middle of a shopping centre? And right after I attacked Rukia! God this is so embarrassing!_

"Your father is on his way to pick you up son. Wait here until he arrives."

Ichigo went pale. It felt as if a knife had just been struck into his chest.

_My dad...He...He knows? NO, NO, NO! Why me? Why?_

"Son, if you want anything just give me a yell, ok?" the officer offered as he left the room. Ichigo felt like stopping him and asking him to give him a lead piercing right between the eyes but he couldn't muster up the courage to say it. Instead he curled up in a ball and made pitiful choking noises as he contemplated how not only had he embarrassed himself in front of Rukia and now her father, but Orihime and Tatsuki were there as well! Everyone saw him! They probably smelled it too! What was he going to do?

_Oh well...At least I won't get attacked because of my hair anymore..._

As the traumatised child waited in suspended agony, he was finally alerted by the sound of screeching brakes outside the stations thin brittle walls.

"Oh shit..." Ichigo muttered to himself, his head hanging low. "Let me guess," he mused, "Dad will storm through that door and say something stupid like-"

"Where is that little shit-head?" Isshin Kurosaki then burst out laughing. "Get it? Because he-"

Ichigo felt like that piercing again, vehemently so. He tried to sink into the wall behind him, to hide. But he soon realised he wasn't a ghost and by pressing himself up against the wall he was only wasting time and rubbing flakes of old yellow paint on his back.

"He's in there!" That was Rukia's voice. This was just getting worse.

The light pitter patter of her footsteps as she dashed towards Ichigo's hiding spot became deafening, but they were eclipsed by the thunderous stomping of his father. Ichigo turned around and tried to flee but he only ended up smashing into the wall and making a loud noise which proved his existence.

Rukia pushed the door wide open and jumped into the room, finding her friend lying on the floor right beneath her. It wouldn't have been so awkward had she not been wearing a skirt. But since she was his position became misconstrued.

"Ichigo you perverted son-of-a-bitch! Didn't you learn anything at the mall today?" That was Isshin, his voice like that of a drunken lion.

Ichigo quickly leapt up to his feet, only to be struck down by a sudden right hook from his father. As he quickly snapped back up to his feet Isshin lashed out again, but this time Ichigo caught his flying fist and twisted it around, lifting the old man off his feet and driving him into the floor in a well-executed take-down.

The policemen didn't care about that though and instead threatened to press further charges if he continued being violent. And so Ichigo hung his head and walked out into the main office sprawl of the station, only to the sniggering and muffled laughter of half of the force.

Ichigo's cheeks were burning and he was quite sure they were probably as red as blood.

Isshin and the captain had a brief conversation involving over-exaggerated nods and hand gestures and then they left. As they walked to the car, Rukia nuzzled her head against Ichigo's shoulder and giggled.

"They made me sign an incident report."

"What did you say?" Ichigo asked fearfully.

"Well, I told them what happened."

"Which was?"

"I said you were so captivated by my stunning costume that you couldn't help but throw yourself at me!" Rukia smiled ever so sweetly.

Ichigo sweat-dropped. "I'm not a dog on heat! And besides, I wasn't 'captivated' by that damn costume! I hated it!" Ichigo was yelling far too loudly and officers from inside the station were now trailing outside to check out what was going on. Ichigo cursed and jumped in the car, slamming the door shut behind him.

Rukia sat in the front and didn't say a word to him the entire drive back. In fact the only person who made any noise for the whole trip was Isshin, who kept on cracking lame jokes about Ichigo's 'accident'.

Ichigo sank into his chair and glared out the window, thinking to himself, "How could this day get any worse?"


	5. Prepare to Die

_**5. **__**Prepare to Die**_

Ichigo spent the next two hours in his room, the curtains drawn and his eyes closed. He lay on his bed and remained there, unmoving and silent for some time. Rukia watched him through a tiny slit in the cupboard door. She felt sorry for him. Why wasn't he happy? Did he not like Halloween? Or was it something else?

"_I wasn't captivated by that damned costume! I hated it!"_

Rukia sighed and looked down over at the Chappy costume hanging on a coat-hanger just across from her. She ran her fingers through the fluffy little ball of fluff that served as the tail and frowned. Somehow it was less fun now...

Rukia peered out at Ichigo once again and stared silently. She then checked her watch and realised it was the afternoon already. They had to get ready if they wanted to go trick or treating! But Ichigo didn't really seem to be in the mood...

"I-Ichigo?" She coaxed softly from within the cupboard. He gave no response so she tried again, louder this time. "Ichigo?"

He rolled over so now his back was facing her. "What?" he grumbled.

"Uh...I...Um...It's four thirty. We should start getting ready for trick or treating."

"_We?_ I'm just tagging along because you want some company. That doesn't mean I'm dressing up. I'm already embarrassed enough!" Ichigo's tone was quite aggressive. But there was sadness within his snarling, an unbearable hint of sadness.

Rukia sighed and withdrew back into the cupboard while she got changed. She reached for the bunny ears but then stopped. She decided to put on the devil costume instead. When she was done she jumped out into the bedroom and struck a pose shouting, "Ta-da!"

Ichigo gave a derisive grunt and that was about it. "So, you're ready now?"

The little devil frowned and whispered submissively, "Yes..."

"Urgh! Alright then! Let's get this bloody thing out of the way so I can get some rest!" Ichigo jumped up off of his bed and stumbled over to the door. Rukia followed close behind. As they made their way down to the kitchen they found Yuzu in the kitchen baking cookies. She wore an elegant frilly black dress and had paler skin than usual.

"Oh, Ichigo! You're finally up!" As Yuzu spun around and smiled, great big plastic fangs jutted out from her gleaming, pearly white smile. "I'll make sure to leave some for when you get back, ok?" She smiled her sweet smile again and Rukia clapped like a hyperactive toddler, praising the dress and the fangs. Yuzu just giggled and explained how she made the costume. Meanwhile Ichigo rolled his eyes and groaned. He picked up a little bag decorated with skulls and pumpkin heads and set off towards the door where he found Karin standing motionless, like a zombie...

...Which made sense because she was dressed like one...

"What are you doing?" Ichigo asked as he approached his rigid sister.

"Getting in character." She drawled out slowly in a low moan. "Brains...Brains...Need brains...Shame Ichi has none..."

Ichigo just rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall. "Rukia come on! Let's go!"

"Coming!" she cried from the kitchen. She bounded over to the front door like a puppy greeting her master, but thankfully stopped short of licking his face. Ichigo opened the door for her and she leapt out into the fresh smelling air.

"Ha! Look Ichigo! Look!" Rukia pointed to all the people out in costumes. The sky had darkened and night was fast approaching. In the dim light of the dying moments of the day children, teens and even adults stepped outside dressed in various costumes. The feisty young devil made that sighing sound that girls make when they see a kitten or a puppy do something cute. She clapped her hands and danced on the spot and squealed like a fan-girl before rushing across the front lawn and over towards the neighbour's house.

Ichigo groaned and followed behind her, strolling casually.

Rukia was knocking on the door so hard she was about to break it down. Ichigo reached out to stop her when the door opened and a young woman stepped out. Rukia however hadn't noticed and was still knocking like a maniac, swinging her fists which inevitably smacked the neighbour straight in the face and knocking her flat on her ass. It was only then that Rukia stopped knocking and held out her bag, struggling to contain her boisterously child-like excitement.

"Trick or treat!" she cried.

The neighbour rubbed her bruised cheek and reached for a bowl of sweets she had sitting by the door. She took out a handful and sprinkled some processed, sugary goodness into Rukia's treat bag. She then gave Ichigo some before heading inside to fetch an ice pack.

Rukia hopped up and down laughing like an idiot and skipped off towards the next house. Ichigo made a note to stay close behind her this time to ensure she didn't give another neighbour a concussion.

They went down the block visiting each house and going through the same pattern. Rukia would knock, greet the stranger, say 'trick or treat', receive some treats and then they would go. The whole time Ichigo would hang back and grumble irately like an old man in a night-club.

Time flies when you're having fun, so for what felt like two minutes for Rukia was actually twenty minutes and to Ichigo that was roughly three hours. Even worse, Ichigo held the lingering dread of someone recognising him from the store earlier that morning. Every new house was wince-inducingly painful for him, but Rukia took no notice, too busy being absorbed into the spirit of the holiday.

"Hi!" Someone called out from behind. Ichigo turned slowly on his heels to face an unfamiliar girl who looked like a biker chick or a Goth rocker or something. She punched Ichigo in the arm and he had to admit it was very painful; in fact she gave him a dead arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" he whined like a spoiled little child.

"Oh come on! Don't be such a baby and besides, that's what you get for not dressing up you lazy shit!" The girl sniggered at her own little joke.

"Oh, it's you Tatsuki? I didn't recognise you."

She wore a torn black singlet under an open leather jacket and had fingerless gloves. A short denim skirt accompanied long fish-net stockings which had also been torn creating the image of a tough biker chick, but the layers of heavy make-up and heavy eye-shadow made her look like a Goth as well.

"So what are you supposed to be then? A hooker?" Ichigo asked, only to receive another dead arm. He sat down and sobbed while Tatsuki explained.

"I'm not a hooker you asshole! I'm the villain out of the new 'Bad Shield' movie!"

"Oh yeah! I saw that the other day!" Rukia chimed in, dancing around in her skimpy little devil costume.

Tatsuki smiled a strange smile, one that was almost...Aroused?

"That's a sweet costume Rukia. I bet Ichigo had to be restrained for that one huh?"

"Ha ha...Yeah!" Rukia chuckled.

"Don't play along with her!" Ichigo snapped, only to receive a sharp roundhouse kick from his friend. As Ichigo crawled back up on his feet, Tatsuki leaned in close to him and smirked.

"Oh that's right. You liked the bunny girl outfit better."

"I will kill you!" Ichigo snarled, inciting a boisterous laugh from the tough guy- Shit, I mean girl! Tough _girl_! Phew! Where were we again?

Oh right!

"Well whatever. I'm supposed to be meeting Orihime. You guys wanna tag along?"

"No"

"Yes!"

"Well that's settled then! Come on!" Tatsuki gestured for them to follow her.

"Hang on!" Ichigo cried, "How is that settled? I said no!"

"Yeah, I know," Tatsuki smiled warmly as she added, "but your vote doesn't count. Besides Rukia doesn't want to spend Halloween alone with a grumpy old man anyway. Isn't that right Rukia?"

"Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh!" She chirped like a parrot.

"Excellent! Let's go then!"

Tatsuki and Rukia bounded off leaving dust and Ichigo in their wake. After having a brief coughing fit, Ichigo's shoulders slumped and he groaned, "Oh god...Kill me now..."

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Come on, review. You know you want to!


	6. Haunted House

**6.** _**Haunted House**_

The setting sun cast a crimson haze over the streets filled with cheerful young characters as they prowled around Karakura town, hunting for deliciously processed treats. Some hunted alone and others in hordes. But one group in particular was, well...A group. Well actually it was a trio but...Hang on!

The trio scampered off across another freshly mown lawn. A delightfully dancing devil twirling her trident like a baton, a rough around the edges biker girl strode purposefully beside her. And tagging along in the back was a young Kurosaki Ichigo who unlike the others in their fancy dress, merely came as an irritating and irritated schoolboy. Sure he played his character well, but he still didn't have props!

Anyway, the group headed down a long narrow street and then took a short-cut through a walkway between the adjacent one. Once there they headed down another block until they came to a stop outside an old apartment building.

Upon their arrival, a young girl stepped out. She wore a strange maid outfit that looked more suited to a burlesque dancer than as a Halloween costume, but...Ichigo wasn't complaining. It was a low cut frilly pink dress which barely covered her legs, revealing vast amounts of her pure white thighs, with a crisp clean white apron over the top with an additional corset over that. This was then tied down with a huge white ribbon. Needless to say, it was extravagant. Frilled white cuffs adorned her wrists which were clutched tight around the hem of her skirt, holding it down while a strong gust of wind wafted by. Her rich chestnut brown hair fluttered about in the breeze. It was really quite long and tied off at the back to fan out gracefully behind her like a reverse peacock's tail.

Ichigo gawked like a complete and utter fool until Tatsuki elbowed him in the ribs. Then he dropped down onto his hands and knees and spluttered. But as he looked up again he saw...

"AH! Don't look, don't look!" The girl doubled over and forced her skirt down as far as it would go, which wasn't very far, but whatever at least she tried.

Ichigo was drooling. This time Rukia kicked him. He might have learned his lesson then.

"Inoue...That looks awesome!" Rukia then beamed, clapping and laughing and hopping up and down like a child, a cute and rather provocatively dressed child, but that doesn't matter does it Pedobear? Speaking of which one of them just ran past...

Anyway, Inoue Orihime giggled nervously and struck a pose with one hand on her hips and the other with the index and middle finger spread out around her eye like one of those old fashioned disco moves.

At this point Tatsuki began laughing hysterically. "Oh my god! It's perfect! Perfect!"

"So," Ichigo groaned as he cradled his wounds, "what are you supposed to be Orihime?"

"I'm-"

"She's Mikuru Asahina!" Tatsuki bellowed over the top of her friend.

"Oh...I don't know who that is..."

"Huh?" Tatsuki gasped. "How can you not know? Everyone in the entire world knows who she is! Haven't you ever heard of the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya?"

"I thought you said she was Mikuru-"

"Shut up! God, do you even have a life? You don't know anything!" Tatsuki groaned.

"Look I have a very busy life." Ichigo said in his defence, prompting Tatsuki to laugh.

"Oh yeah! I bet you're so busy killing monsters and stuff aren't ya?" Ichigo looked stunned, as if he had just been jolted with a cattle prod. "Aha! I knew it!" Ichigo looked as if he were about to pass out now. "You play Dungeons and Dragons don't you!"

"No!"

"Warhammer?"

"NO!"

"Geez, fine. Whatever, let's go get some treats!" Tatsuki lead the way as they pillaged more houses of their precious sweets. They received a true bounty of edible gold (Until they removed the wrappers and realised they were brown...Aw damn! Wait a minute, its chocolate! Fuck yeah!)

As the night progressed and less and less people were still out, it seemed that it was about time to call it quits. It was then, that Tatsuki grinned wickedly and forced her little group to huddle together.

"Alright guys, we've hit the jack-pot so far, but it's Halloween. There is more to this day than just treats. Fear! That's what is important here! That's why I propose we go trick or treating at the haunted mansion down in the forest!"

Inoue whimpered, Ichigo looked unsettled but Rukia was on board. She clapped and cheered and squealed with delight.

"Alright! Let's go, let's go!" She cried.

Tatsuki turned to the others. "So are you in or out?"

"Haunted houses are bullshit. It's probably abandoned anyway." Ichigo whined.

"No! It sounds scary!" Inoue yelped like a frightened pup.

"Okay, so it's settled then! We're going in!" Tatsuki led the way again through a dark patch of forest off the main road. A dirt path only just wide enough for a car trailed deep within the darkness. They followed it until light no longer reached them and then, in the all-consuming abyss, they clung to one another and marched blindly until they reached a clearing.

A large cleared area gave room for an expansive front yard for what once would have been an elaborate and wonderful manor house. Now it was a moss-covered gravestone that stood two stories high. Vines strangled much of the front garden and scaled the walls like bony fingers reach up towards the windows. The skeletal remains of tall trees stood silent and unwavering atop the over-grown and tangled mess of weeds and shrubs around it. The paint on the walls had begun flaking off and in some areas was coated in mould. One of the windows had been smashed and the others were so badly caked in dust and filth that it was impossible to see inside.

The small group stumbled into the courtyard and stared at the haunted mansion. Orihime was terrified, clutching Tatsuki like a scared little child. Tatsuki gently patted her head while an excited grin spread across her face.

"Sweet isn't it? Let's go!"

"N-n-n-no! I don't want to go!" Inoue cried, but since she was wrapped around her friend's leg like a coiled snake she was dragged along anyway.

Rukia looked unsettled, but still she jogged over towards the door eagerly.

Ichigo just rolled his eyes and followed them since he wasn't really doing anything anyway.

And so they gathered by the great oak door, inlaid with intricate carvings of demons and monsters and all things most foul. Even Ichigo was impressed.

"Alright. Let's go in!" Tatsuki cheered.

"Hang on, at least knock first!" Ichigo yelled, "We don't know if anyone lives here or not yet!"

Tatsuki just laughed. "Are you serious? Look at this place! It's abandoned!"

"Or maybe it's an old lady who doesn't leave the house? Just knock!" Ichigo scolded as if he were her father.

Tatsuki groaned. "Fine! I'll knock on the damn door!" She bashed her fist against the door and the resounding explosion of sound echoed throughout the entire forest sending flocks of birds scattering from the tree-tops.

They all waited in silence for a moment waiting for a person who never came. Tatsuki smirked at her fiery-haired friend. "Good enough for ya? No-one's in there except for the ghosts! Now let's go!"

Tatsuki gripped the large crumbling Iron handle and pulled with all of her strength. The door creaked open with the sound of a crying infant and the fearless young girl lunged at the open doorway, only to come face to face with the most ghastly face she had ever seen.

In the near-complete darkness only thin slivers of white could be seen around wide staring eyes and an unnaturally large toothy grin. A voice like a rusted hinge escaped from the ghoul and greeted the youngsters.

"Hello there. Welcome to my house of horrors..."

As the creepy smiling face laughed, the four young heroes screamed. Their cries of terror may have stirred the silent swaying trees, but their screams did not escape the darkness of the forest, lost forever in the abyss.

* * *

Please review.


	7. Trip To Hell

_**7.**_ _**Trip To Hell**_

Bloody Hell I haven't written anything in weeks. I'm finally back. Sorry for the wait! Anyway, enjoy and don't forget to review!

The dilapidated mansion was quite unsettling. The way the fierce breezes would echo like mournful wails of the dead as it flowed through the dead trees out front. The way the door creaked open like the rusted gates of Hell. The way the entire world seemed to be drowned in darkness just by standing there.

That was scary enough, but when the ghoulish spectre appeared from within the abyssal halls of the mansion even the no-nonsense, tough-as-nails biker girl/Goth rocker/ambiguous lesbian Tatsuki Arisawa was screaming like a prepubescent girl (Ooh another person in a pedobear costume just ran past!)

The small group was about to flee when the sudden explosive rolling thunder caught their attention. Pouring rain and heavy hail crashed down upon the unkempt wilderness that served as the front yard for the manor house.

Rather than risk the elements and escape, the group moved into the sheltered home to wait out the sudden storm.

"Weird...It wasn't even cloudy before..." Ichigo murmured. He glanced over to Orihime and Rukia who were hugging each other close and sobbing into each other's shoulders like frightened siblings. Ichigo rolled his eyes and laid a hand on both their shoulders, causing them both to shoot upright as if a spider had just crawled up their legs. "Calm down. We'll wait for the storm to pass and then we can go home."

The host stood to one side, his black robes allowing him to blend into the shadows, however his gleaming white teeth which pursed out from his lipless mouth were plain as day. His wide staring eyes darted to and fro as he studied each guest from head to toe.

"Uh...Is it alright if we just stay here for a while? It's a long way back to our houses and its raining and hailing and-"

"Never mind that, boy. I care not if you wish to stay. This house was once a hotel you know. The ghosts have been lonely since we have had no guests for twenty years. We would be most glad if you could stay, even if it just for an hour."

"D-Did you just say...Ghosts?" Asahina – Shit, I mean Inoue whimpered.

The host cackled like a madman from an old B-horror film, "Do not fear young lass. They do not bite! They just like to feel the warmth of the living whenever they feel lonely."

Just then Inoue's tiny mini-skirt was lifted and the young battle waitress screamed in pitch so high it would have cracked a glass had there been one prepared earlier. She jumped into Rukia and the two of them were sent sprawling on the floor.

The disturbing host's grin consumed his face as he declared, "They like your outfits."

"Ah, yes...Um...Thank you." Tatsuki spoke gratefully to the air.

"It is Halloween tonight, yes?"

"Yes sir." Tatsuki shot back rapidly like a student afraid of a strict teacher.

The fiend clasped his pallid white hands together and howled. "Marvellous. I have a few treats if you wish to partake."

The group looked to each other at first with uneasy glances...Then their stomachs grumbled and all heads hung low in submission and unconditional defeat. Without a word they followed the creepy clown into the next room.

"I do not get many visitors on Halloween anymore. Every now and then a stray group will wander in like lost cattle but they never tend to stay long. A shame, my treats are unlike any other. I do not give them thoughtless processed candy, no I like to make something special for the children who visit me..."

"Like what?" Rukia asked, finding her vocal chords now after her sobbing fit had ceased.

"Well," the host murmured, "Do you kids like brownies?"

…

"BROWNIES!"

* * *

After an enlightening and disturbing journey through the depths of the haunted mansion the group finally arrived in a large parlour. Fine couches and exquisitely crafted furniture adorned the room. Expensive furry rugs covered the ageing carpet beneath and a fireplace blazed in the corner. Marvellous paintings hung from the walls, mostly portraits of unknown people or beautiful landscapes of faraway places. It wasn't so scary...

"Have a seat by the fire. You must be cold, especially you young ladies." the ghostly clown gestured to the time traveller and the devil, eyeing their barely clothed figures still with that same gaping, wide eyed stare.

They did as asked and sat down in the fancy red chairs and couches.

Without ever appearing to leave, not even making a sound, the host returned with a tray full of brownies. They were still steaming, fresh from the oven. The smell was intoxicating and the weary, starving group were helpless to resist themselves. The very instant the tray was set down they ravenously consumed them like a pack of cookie monsters after a hunger strike.

The host just smiled as he watched them eat, almost as if he were watching animals at the zoo. He waited until they were all gone and then he collected the empty tray which had even been picked clean of crumbs.

"My, what hungry children you are. I'm glad my cooking did not go to waste again this year. Thank you ever so much."

"No thank _you_ sir!" Tatsuki cheered. "You know you're not so scary after all. I don't know why people are afraid of this place."

"Yeah!" Rukia chirped, returning to her overly excited and cheerful mood again. "You're really kind and generous and you have a smile I can trust."

The man's grin spread so far that it seemed the rest of his face was swallowed up entirely. "Why thank you, I do not deserve such praise. Well, I have some pressing matters to attend to, I trust you to stay here while you wait out the storm."

"Ok, thanks again for letting us stay here."

The host waved the thanks aside and drifted off, disappearing soon enough into the void beyond the parlour room.

They group all sank back in their chairs and listened to the rattling gunfire of rain upon the ceiling. The crackling of the fire created an almost hypnotic melody and they soon found themselves struggling to sit up.

"My...My head is so heavy..." Inoue whined, lying down on her couch.

Tatsuki groaned and lay back, closing her eyes. "God, I feel so tired."

"I don't understand...It can't be that late can it? We've only been here less than twenty minutes." Ichigo looked around the room dazed and confused, noting a few crumbs on the floor. He stared at them, dumbfounded, his eyes narrowing.

"Ichigo...I don't feel right..." Rukia grasped her stomach and curled up into a ball. Her face scrunched up in agony and suddenly she rolled off of the chair and hit the floor with a booming, resounding thud.

Ichigo reached out to her but his hands felt like lead weights. His arm just dropped lifelessly by his side and he flopped forward like a puppet with no strings. "Oh god...It was...It was the brownies...It was the fucking brownies!"

Mocking laughter filled the room like gushing water, drowning them in the venomous howling that was spat from unseen tongues. It was the host, the clown. The deceptively nice man, the mistakenly misunderstood Samaritan. He was laughing at them, taunting them...

Ichigo wished to curse the bastard's name for playing such a twisted trick on them, but he found he could no longer speak, his tongue lying slack in his mouth, lifeless and numb. His eyelids fluttered frenziedly as he struggled to remain conscious, but he lost the battle and soon he too joined the others.

Everything went black.


	8. Its Your Nightmare

_**8. **__**It's Your Fucking Nightmare**_

Sorry for the wait. I swear I will finish this story, hopefully by Halloween! Anyway enjoy and remember to review!

* * *

_Ichigo...Ichigo wake up! Wake up Ichigo..._

_Ichigo..._

The incessant noise was getting annoying. The young man wished to strike out and make the irritating alarm go to sleep. Alas, he could not move. His eyelids felt heavier than sandbags and remained drooped down, trapping him within a world of perpetual darkness.

_Ichigo! Ichigo!_

More voices joined the choir, chanting his name like an occult mantra. He wanted to silence them all but he still couldn't move. Still couldn't open his eyes. Was he dead? Was this what if felt like?

_Ichigo..._

Were these the voices of angels? If so then they are a complete let-down. They were more annoying than flies in summer. He wished they would just shut up and leave him alone. Wasn't dying bad enough?

_That's it! There is no other way..._

Huh? What did that mean? What were they talking abou-

Something cold pushed its way through his lips and into his mouth. Soft lips pressed down against his and the invading tongue snaked it way around as if it were searching for treasure. Ichigo's eyes shot wide open and still all he could see was black, though now it shined slightly. That was odd...

"Hey! Hey! That's not how you resuscitate someone! Stop it!" That was Tatsuki's voice. Strong hands clasped around whatever was pinning Ichigo down and dragged it away. Ichigo spluttered like a broken down car and stared at the one that had attacked him.

Rukia stared back with an innocent gleam in her eyes, like a child waiting to be praised. Silence seemed to stretch on for some time until Ichigo's cheeks burned bright red and he screamed.

"W-w-what? What the hell were you doing to me?" Ichigo cried.

Rukia didn't even blush. She just smiled sweetly and explained, "You were unconscious, so I had to perform CPR!"

Tatsuki giggled and Inoue blushed. The former patted Rukia on the head as if she were a puppy and chuckled, "That wasn't CPR...But at least you tried."

"Don't encourage her!" Ichigo snapped.

"Oh come on, I'm sure you enjoyed it!" Tatsuki said while rolling her eyes.

"Sh-Shut up!" the rosy-cheeked boy stammered.

Rukia still had a triumphant little smile on her face unaware of what she had done wrong. While everyone laughed at Ichigo it soon dawned on them that last they remembered they had been drugged.

Suddenly they all fell silent and cautiously checked their surroundings. They were still inside...But this place was different. It wasn't the huge lounge room they were in before. Now it was...Well...It was a doll house.

"The fuck happened here?" Tatsuki asked, disgusted at the gigantic plush toys that lined the walls like sentry guards.

Rukia however did not share her animosity and was rather overjoyed to see the giant stuffed bunnies and teddy bears. She squealed with delight and raced off towards a large fluffy bunny. The others just watched on, dumbfounded at the unusual location and just because Rukia is so cute when she's having fun...

The scantily clad devil pounced on the bunny and constricted it with her arms, suffocating the poor thing (If it was alive of course...) The young shinigami girl laughed and cried as she rolled around in the bunny's soft furry belly. Its big droopy arms fell over her in a lazy hug and she just cried more. She didn't even notice the arms as they slowly tightened around her into a painful bear hug.

Rukia delightful laugher was cut short as she let out a pained gasp. Her eyes went wide and she began beating her fists against the furry creature in a feeble attempt to free herself.

"Rukia! What's wrong?"

She couldn't answer, the air squeezed out of her. Her cheeks turned pale and her eyes became unfocused. Her fists stop beating against the demon bunny's hide and her head rocked forward to rest against him.

The bunny's beady black eyes still looked as soulless and empty as ever but its sweet stitched smile had now parted to reveal dripping fangs.

"What the Hell is this?" Ichigo roared, backing away nervously, only to bump into a possessed teddy bear. He quickly spun on his heels and dealt a lightning fast round-house kick straight to its centre mass. The demon teddy stumbled backwards but quickly regained its footing and charged again. Ichigo leapt high into the air and prepared to punch through the monster's deceptively cute face but a heavy paw slammed into him and knocked him straight to the ground. Ichigo coughed up blood as he hit the ground with enough force to turn a limousine into a compact. The floor under him split apart and a crater was all that was left.

The monster took two thunderous steps forward until it was towering over its prey. Ichigo tried to stand but he simply fell back down again. He was trapped, helpless. He was going to die...From a fucking teddy bear!

A great fluffy paw raised high into the air and out of nowhere, wicked talons sprouted out in all directions. Ichigo's eyes narrowed and he let out a pitiful squeal. This was it! This really was it! He was going to die!

The teddy roared and its paw came crashing down, but it never hit its mark. A blur of movement crossed Ichigo's field of vision and in a matter of seconds an eruption of white cotton exploded out of the bear's chest cavity. It screamed in inhuman agony and staggered about clawing away at something. Ichigo over-heard a fearsome war-cry from none other than Tatsuki Arisawa.

The tough biker/Goth girl leapt high into the air and dealt out a flying round-house kick, straight to the monster's mutilated face. The huge teddy bear was sent hurtling through the air only to land in a heap and never to rise again.

The warrior woman helped Ichigo up and flashed a murderous grin. "Come on Ichigo! Aren't you supposed to be the man? Let's waste these fluffy fuckers!"

Ichigo nodded and together they raced off, fighting off against the legion of demonically possessed plushies.

* * *

A blood-drunk Tatsuki was truly a terrifying sight to behold. Her face contorted in a sickening inhuman grin and here yes bulged so far they almost popped out of her head. She laughed like a complete psychopath as she tore the cotton stuffing out of her prey. She tore fluffy ears off and used them as clubs, tore limb from limb, disembowelled giant bunnies with her teeth, and even unwound the stitching on an unlucky few so that their bodies would fall apart in an avalanche of cotton viscera.

Inoue seemed to be just as disturbed by the death of toys as she was of people since she was curled up on the ground sobbing and vomiting. Perhaps she was imagining Tatsuki fighting against real people. Such would be a grisly sight and surely one none would dare to watch for fear of their own sanity.

In a matter of minutes Tatsuki stood atop a pile of cute and cuddly corpses. She raised a dead bunny's head high and roared to the heavens.

The final opponent remained, the evil bunny which still held Rukia in his deadly vice-like grip. Tatsuki moved to slay her final foe, but Ichigo signalled for her to back down.

"No," he snarled, "This one is mine!"

Tatsuki bowed to her comrade and stepped aside to enjoy the final glorious um...cotton bath? (It just isn't the same is it?)

The demon bunny threw Rukia aside and growled at its new found opponent. The two had a silent stand-off, not a sound and not even a single breath. Even the bystanders held their breath in anticipation.

The two roared like wild beasts and charged head on, their battle cries culminating in a fearsome maelstrom of sound. The two clashed and continued running straight past each other. The two stopped several paces past one another, still hunched over in fighting stances. They fell silent and did not move from their positions, a cold breeze wafting through the open window.

Ichigo straightened up and spat out a ball of cotton. He closed his eyes and strolled off while the demon bunny split apart and exploded in a rain of fluffy clouds of cotton.

The triumphant youngsters regrouped and stared morosely at the carnage before them. For a moment they said nothing, words escaping them. But then, the brave young warrior, Ichigo Kurosaki raised his head.

"Ok...What the fuck just happened?"

* * *

Oh the suspense! Just two more days to Halloween! Time is running out! Will I make it in time? Oh...And uh...These guys are in a pinch as well. 

Review!


	9. Vivid Nightmare

**_9._ _Vivid Nightmares_**

The small group huddled in a small circle and all gazed at each other nervously. They had just experienced one Hell of a nightmare, but why?

"We're still in that creepy haunted house right?" Tatsuki asked.

"I don't know. I don't remember a room like this. But," Ichigo grasped his chin in thought, "maybe this isn't the house."

"What do you mean?"

"Well what just happened seemed like something out of a nightmare...Rukia's nightmares specifically. Am I right?"

Rukia was crying softly into his shoulder. He patted her head and stroked her cheek gently. He looked to the others and continued his theory.

"Well, you all realised there was something strange in those brownies don't you? There must have been some seriously powerful drugs to be able to knock us out that fast. This might just be a hallucination."

"You mean like an acid trip?" Tatsuki suggested.

"Yeah, but how do you know about that?"

"There's a reason you've never met my family Ichigo." she explained harshly. Everyone felt guilty for some reason then and an awkward silence hung over them.

"Anyway..." Ichigo continued, "I think this might be like some kind of shared hallucination. We just experienced Rukia's nightmares so who knows what will happen next."

"So what you're saying is we're all going to experience our nightmares?" Tatsuki made a face as if she had just smelled something awful. "God this sounds like the plot for a fucking fan fiction!"

Well...

"Ah ha! I think I get it now!" Tatsuki decreed. "We have to face each other's nightmares before we can wake up!"

"Probably..." Ichigo muttered.

"Well then let's get our asses moving then!" Tatsuki leapt up to her feet and scanned the room. Just past one of the piles of dismembered teddy bears there was a door. She practically jumped with excitement and raced over. The others followed behind cautiously.

The door wasn't locked and it opened with a terribly loud shriek. A flash of light washed over them and for a moment it felt as if they had just blacked out, yet they were still standing and still conscious a fraction of a second later. They all looked around confused for a moment before setting foot inside the next room...

"I don't get it." Ichigo muttered to himself. "Where the Hell are we? I thought we were in a house! This is..."

"Why are we suddenly in a park? When we opened the door we all just saw another room didn't we?" Everyone nodded in answer to Tatsuki's inquiry. She nodded at that and placed a finger on her chin. "Hmm, well this is a hallucination so I guess we should have expected this."

"Um...Whose nightmare is this?" Inoue asked, trembling. She really did look like Mikuru Asahina like that. In fact she looked so much more adorable now. But that didn't make sense. Why was she suddenly so beautiful when she was crying and trembling?

"Uh..." Rukia made a strange yelping sound. All eyes turned on her as she became enveloped in flames. "This...this isn't normal right?"

Ichigo's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. The little plastic horns that were poking out of her hair had now become solid, bony protrusions and her tail...It was moving!

"Rukia...What are you-"

Rukia let out a shrill scream as the flames around her suddenly exploded outwards into a fierce and raging inferno. A great ball of fire shot off towards the others who scattered like ants.

"Holy shit! She's become a real devil!" Tatsuki cried. This caused Inoue to whimper like a trapped little puppy during a thunder storm. She cowered behind her friends and sniffed.

"G-Guys? I...I did something bad."

"What?"

"I..." Inoue Asahina wiped tears from her huge deer-like eyes and frowned. "I was afraid this would happen...This is my nightmare."

"Make it stop!" Rukia cried, her voice all but drowned out by the roaring blaze.

"Hang on! Your nightmare was that our powers would become real?" Tatsuki asked. Inoue nodded gravely. "Okay then...So how do we get through this?"

"I don't know." Ichigo sighed and rolled his eyes, "Maybe we all just have to use our powers or something?"

Tatsuki gave him a thumbs up and winked, "Got it! Come on Mikuru!" She grabbed the frightened little time traveller and snatched one of her hands. Inoue resisted feebly but Tatsuki was tougher than usual. She bent Inoue's fingers into a peace sign, ignoring her pitiful mewling.

"Ow! It hurts!" Orihime pleaded for her friend to stop, but Tatsuki just ignored her and pushed her forward until she was hunched over awkwardly. The young battle waitress protested with all her might, but that was incomparable to that of her tough biker friend. She looked over to Ichigo with pleading eyes, but Ichigo's gaze was drawn elsewhere.

"Ichigo...Save me!"

Ichigo didn't respond for a second. He was drooling and staring down at Inoue/Mikuru's well-endowed chest. He was especially stunned by the little star-shaped mole that lay nestled in her ample cleavage. After several minutes of begging, the poor girl's pleas for help finally reached the young man and he snapped out of his trance to look into her eyes.

"Wha- huh? Did you say something?" He asked innocently.

Orihime was about to respond when Tatsuki wrenched her arm up and pressed it against her baby face. The battle waitress blinked and in the very next second a blinding beam of light shot out from her eye.

Everyone looked around nervously, scanning the park around them.

"Is...Is everyone okay?" Tatsuki asked.

Inoue just dropped down to her knees and sobbed. Rukia was still burning like a Roman candle and screaming. Ichigo looked around and sighed.

"Thank god. We're all fine!"

For a moment nothing happened. Ichigo stood still with a slightly triumphant look on his face, relieved that no-one had gotten hurt. Then he felt a strange sensation in his left arm. He glanced down and watched on in horror as the whole limb detached from the shoulder, sliced clean through.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHH!"

"Orihime what did you do?" Tatsuki slapped her shy young friend on the back of the head and cursed.

"I-It wasn't my fault! You forced me!"

"I did not! I was trying to help you! If you hadn't squirmed it would have shot up into the sky!"

"Shut up and help me!" Ichigo roared.

"Calm down Ichigo-"

"Calm down? My fucking arm fell off! Don't tell me to calm down!"

"Look if we get out of here then your arm should heal right up." Tatsuki explained. "These dreams aren't connected to one another. You just saw when we left the doll-house we thought we were going to another room, but instead we arrived here in a completely different dimension."

"Tatsuki this isn't a fucking fan fiction you know!"

Well...

"Quiet down Ichigo." The biker/Goth hissed, "As soon as we get out of here we can leave this place and you will wind up in a new dimension with your arms intact. There is nothing to worry about so stop acting like a baby."

"Let's see you say that when _you're _arm is chopped off!" Ichigo snapped. "Just hurry up and get me out of here dammit! NOW!"

"Alright, alright. Let me think. Who hasn't used their powers yet?"

"No rush or anything but I'm kind of melting over here!" Rukia yelled. That was one down.

Inoue was cradling her eye with her hands to make sure she didn't shoot anyone again. That was another one down.

Tatsuki had used her increased strength to manipulate the little combat waitress, so she had used her power up already. That just left...

"Ichigo!"

"What?" he snapped back furiously getting more and more agitated with each passing second.

"You have to use your power!"

"What power?"

"The power of your character." Tatsuki explained, remaining quite calm despite Ichigo's state of mind and body.

"What character? I didn't dress up as anyone!"

"Then become a shinigami or something, I don't know! You yelling like that is just counter-productive."

"MY ARM FELL OFF!"

"I KNOW!"

Ichigo seemed about to snap back again, but his mouth just hung open lazily as he made a strange wheezing noise and his eyes rolled back into his head. For a moment he just sat there, and then ever so slowly he rocked forward until he hit the ground. Then he stopped moving.

All eyes fell on the poor young man and screams rang through the air.

"ICHIGO!"

* * *

Well that's a fun little cliff-hanger right there isn't it? Happy Halloween everyone! The end is near! Hopefully I'll be able to finish this story in the spare few hours I have before NaNoWriMo starts. Anyway pelase review!


	10. Fear

**10.** _**Fear**_

It's a bit late but here's the final chapter. Enjoy and review!

* * *

"ICHIGO!" The three terrified girls cried as their young hero collapsed in a spreading pool of his own blood. His body went rigid and he ceased to move. Not even a single breath escaped his lips which had turned a sickly shade of grey.

As the trio moved to attend to him they were swallowed up by a darkened abyss, a black hole of despair and emptiness. After what felt like centuries of eternal darkness the group wound up in a new dimension, this time once again within the house.

All the walls were covered in what appeared to be pink velvet and an enormous queen-size bed with leopard print blankets lay in the middle of the room. Rather than lights, a chandelier hung from the ceiling and there were candles all over the place.

It sure was fancy...But it was kind of fucked...

"Where the hell is this?" Ichigo asked, suddenly arousing a scream from all the girls in perfectly unscripted unison.

"You're alive?"

"How?"

"We thought you died!"

Ichigo just stared at them for a moment and then laughed. "Ha, how silly of you. It's so obvious!"

"What?" Rukia cocked her head like a teased puppy.

"It's simple. I'm the main character! I can't die! Therefore my power is to enter situations where I should have died, but don't!" Ichigo looked up to the sky and winked, "Ain't that right Tite?"

"Who's Tite?" Tatsuki asked.

"Never mind."

Well that was over quickly wasn't it? Oh well. Anyway, the trio of girl all lifted Ichigo up from the ground and helped him to his feet. They moved to the bed and everyone sat down, all of them exhausted from their ordeal thus far. Their injuries may have healed but they still felt tired from their insane adventures through each other's nightmares.

"Speaking of which," Tatsuki said aloud.

"What do you mean 'speaking of which'? No-one bloody said anything!" Ichigo snapped.

"Just shut up and listen you asshole!" Tatsuki replied rather calmly...Nah, she was pretty damn pissed. "Look, we've been travelling through everyone's nightmares right?" Nobody really answered but she took it that everyone understood anyway and continued with her explanation, "We've been through Rukia's nightmare, Orihime's nightmare and now we're here. So the question is: Whose nightmare is this?"

"Well I don't much fancy those sheets but that doesn't count as a nightmare does it?" Ichigo asked with a straight face.

Tatsuki slapped him.

"God I'm sick you Ichigo. In fact I'm sick of all men."

Boy did that get a response. Ichigo's eyes widened to the point that they were practically bursting out of his skull. His jaw dropped too so that he looked like a stupid caricature. Rukia didn't really understand the underlying context of what her friend had said and so she just kind of sat there unfazed.

Tatsuki's expression softened and became...Feminine. Something was seriously wrong. She placed a hand on her forehead and groaned, "I feel weird...I think I have a fever or something..."

Inoue/Mikuru became afraid, very afraid. She was already starting to scramble to her feet and run to the door when a strong pair of hands gripped her sleeves and dragged her back to the bed. Tatsuki threw Mikuru down and then sat on top of her, pinning the whimpering young girl beneath her. Her usual beastly expression returned. Now things were much worse!

"Holy shit! I should do something!" Ichigo muttered. He promptly reached into his pocket and took out his mobile phone. Then he started filming.

"Hang on!" Rukia cried, "This is obviously not Ichigo's nightmare," she took a moment to glare in disgust at Ichigo's crossed legs, "So it has to be Tatsuki's fear! But I don't..." she trailed off, distracted by the two girl on the bed who were going at it like bitches on heat. It was mysteriously addictive to watch, thought the shinigami girl. Then she realised she was being drawn into the foray by some unseen force.

"Aha! I get it now! Tatsuki is...She's homophobic!" Rukia managed to share her revelation before sharing her new-found sexual fantasies with the other girls.

"Ichigo!" Inoue cried out between awkward moans. "Do something! Stop her-" She let out a deep body-wracking sigh as...As things happened.

Ichigo did his best and...

Watched...

* * *

Four and a half hours later when things were starting to venture into a rough patch involving leather and whips Ichigo finally stood in and did something about it. He would have liked to continue watching but...Well he finished up a while ago...

It was time to go, before it started to smell.

Ichigo tapped Tatsuki on the shoulder but that didn't do anything, not that he was expecting it to, he just needed a justification for what he was about to do next.

'BAM'

Tatsuki rolled off of the bed, struck by Ichigo's fist. The two glared at each other and had a stand-off.

"Hey now, how dare you not let me have a piece of the action!" Ichigo roared.

"What? Are you insane? What the Hell are you talking about?" Tatsuki retorted, furious.

"I'm talking about you, getting it on with all the girls as if you were...A lesbian!"

"What?" She made a shocked face straight out of a bad TV soap opera.

"That's right! You were making a little love scene back there and I can prove it!" Ichigo seemed rather pleased with himself. Don't dwell on that. He fiddled about with his phone while he spoke. "You were acting out my yuri doujin and I saw the whole thing!"

"N-No! That's impossible, I would never-"

The video started with a loud moan that made the speakers crackle. Tatsuki stared. Ichigo stared. Tatsuki continued to stare. Ichigo had to look away...Eventually. When it ended...

Like a cursed mirror in some old horror movie Tatsuki screamed and then the world shattered, breaking apart. Soon enough they were once again drowned in the familiar darkness between worlds.

* * *

Their nightmare would finally be over soon. All they had to do was endure one final nightmare and then everything would be back to normal! They were so close to the end. Victory was almost at hand.

Which was why when they found themselves in the street back amongst all the other trick or treaters they were all confused. They seemed to have skipped over Ichigo's nightmare. Relief swept over them and the group all looked to one another at first with frowns, then smiles, beaming smiles.

"We did it!"

"Yes!"

"We made it you guys!"

"Fuck yeah! We're finally out of that creepy mansion and all of those weird worlds." Ichigo sighed and stretched his arms and legs out as if he had just been in a car for the past three hours. "What I don't get though is why we never experienced my nightmare? I guess the drugs weren't strong enough to sustain so many hallucinations at once. Lucky us huh?"

"You said it!" Rukia chirped. "I just want to go home and eat some candy and just forget that we ever entered that house and went through all that."

"Yeah! Here's to repressed memories!" Tatsuki raised her fist in the air in mock toast. The others followed suit and they all cheered.

The weary group of friends began walking home when suddenly they all came to a complete stop. The girls all stared at Ichigo with stern glares.

"What?" he asked nervously, holding his hands out like a hostage at gunpoint.

"You know all of our nightmares. What's yours?" Tatsuki asked, and by asked I really mean demanded.

"Yeah!"

"Yeah!"

Ichigo chuckled to himself and rolled his eyes. "Fine, I guess it's only fair that I tell you what my greatest fear is." He scratched his head and sighed. "Alright, my nightmare is-"

'POOF!'

Ichigo's clothes vanished.

They were standing in the middle of the street, all eyes now upon the naked boy and his burning cheeks (Not them ones you sick bastard! On his face!) Ichigo stared back at the three girls standing before him, but that only brought back recent memories of Tatsuki's nightmares and...

It made the situation worse.

_A lot _worse...

Ichigo looked around and frowned, "I can explain."

* * *

Ichigo Kurosaki never celebrated Halloween ever, _ever, _again...

_**The End**_

_**Happy Halloween!**_

* * *

Well there you have it. Only two months late but well, I wasn't going to hold onto this story for another year. I hope you enjoyed that. As always thank you to the reader and especially the reviewers. I hope you all had a happy Halloween and since it's so close I might as well wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year too. 

Now how about a review?


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